I had the opportunity to attend the encore screening of Fil-Am Creations: A Film Maker’s Movement. For those of you that don’t know, this is the premiere Filipino-American short film festival. That’s My Entertainment had the opportunity to interview some of the filmmakers during the original screening. If you haven’t watched the interview with Dante Basco yet, check it out. The evening was a little less formal than the original screening, but presented a great opportunity to hear the directors talk about their inspiration and pieces in an open forum. The evening presented a lot of variety in genre, everything from thrillers, to gangster flicks, comedy, even a slice of life piece that gave insight into Filipino culture.
The Last Straw pulled us into the underground world of competitive Boba drinking, complete with subtle and not so subtle references to Blood Sport. It was enjoyable and showed a lot of promise. I look forward to what the director brings next year.
What You Don’t Say took me right back to those college partying days, fretting over what to say to the girl you like, only to find out it really doesn’t matter anyway. Maybe it was just the 30-year-old in me talking, but I particularly connected with the character too old to party with college kids.
Basketball Ghost was a production made by kids but entertaining for adults. Its cheap green screen effects and timing only add to the production, making you feel like you really are in a child’s dream. Also, the kid brothers are cute as buttons.
Plaza Blvd. showed me what a day in the life of a young Filipino American adult is like, and really took its time in highlighting the amazing food and family values of the culture.
I Don’t Love You I was surprised by how funny this film was. What started out seemingly as an ADR issue turned into a hilarious reveal. I was laughing from beginning to end at the silliness of this tele novella spoof.
Colored Hearts stole the entire festival. A beautifully shot and perfectly acted piece, giving light to the frustrations, pressures, and fear that surround an interracial relationship between a black woman and an Asian man. The editing kept me on my seat wondering if the main characters would make the safe choice, or go with their hearts.
Uncle Eddie Anyone who has ever had siblings knows the no-punches pulled verbal sparring matches that occur. However, Uncle Eddie shows that no matter what is said out loud, family love will prevail, as two sisters bicker their way through the circle of life. “I love you” may never be said between the two, it is felt the entire way through.
Miss Understanding This film initially impressed me by taking a sidestep from the dialogue heavy pieces that preceded it. Miss Understanding is the only silent film. It is a simple and honest story of a man developing a crush on his waitress. However, the film is hurt by its “surprise” ending. What starts as a cute story turns into a joke poking fun at the deaf. While I understand the humor, most of the audience and myself did not laugh. It was a great build up, cheapened by a lazy ending.
Madeira Like a good bottle of wine, once the cork was pulled on Maderia, the flavor of the piece continued to unveil itself the longer the bottle was open. What starts as a casual holiday meet up between friends turns into a more complex story of divorce, pregnancy, and passion. The finish made me applaud harder than I would at any dinner party.
Man of My Dreams After stories of love, comedy, and drama it was good to finally have a legitimate thriller. Showing how meeting someone through a dating app can go terribly wrong, this piece made me almost delete Tinder from my phone. I thought I was going to watch another rom-com. I was very happy what direction this piece took.
Finding Ronwe After spoofs of tele novella, 80’s action, and silent films, it was good to see a director’s take on the Blaxploitation film. While not heavy-handed, it had all the tropes; hometown hero returns after training in martial arts, only to find a crazy villain controlling a large syndicate, and only that hero can take him down. While enjoyable, I wondered what direction this movie was trying to take; serious action flick or spoof, as evidenced by the believable hero having to take on a villain who is trying to control the “candy racket.” No, that’s not a euphemism. They’re literally selling candy on the streets.
Lolo Pepe A gangster style film, showing the rise to power of the “man in the white suit.” The action and suspense of this film were palpable. I was confused at times, partly due to the narration being hard to understand. I was left with several questions when the film concluded.
Pictures of Perla This piece set itself apart from the rest of the other festival entries due to its unique usage of pictures. More a radio show with flashed stills to set the mood than a “movie,” Pictures of Perla shows a date turn into a kidnapping attempt all through the eyes of the photographer. I thought this piece was good, even though there was already an “online date gone awry” film ala Man of my Dreams.
All in all, it was a great festival with a lot of talent shown from all directors, casts, writers, and crew. While some pieces had their drawbacks and others had their triumphs, each was worthy of watching again. I look forward to next year’s Fil-Am Festival. That’s my Entertainment, What’s Yours?
Director: Adhik Ravichandran
Starring: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Das, Trisha, Simran
Genre: Action / Crime Drama
Rating: 4.5/5
“Good Bad Ugly” centers on Red Dragon (Ajith Kumar), a notorious gangster who chooses to surrender himself in the hopes of turning over a new leaf and reuniting with his estranged son. However, when unforeseen threats emerge, Red Dragon is forced to step back into the dangerous underworld to protect the only family he has left.
“Good Bad Ugly” plays to the strengths of Ajith Kumar, delivering a fan-pleasing portrayal of both his vintage villainy and his matured emotional depth. Ajith’s powerful screen presence, coupled with his iconic voice, shines against Arjun Das’s brooding and intense new-age antagonist, creating an electric old-school versus new-school dynamic. The nostalgic return of Simran is a clever nod to longtime fans, bringing heart and familiarity. Trisha brings a strong, grounded performance as the moral compass in Red Dragon’s life, helping move the emotional threads of the story. The film smartly balances action, comedy, and sentimental fan-service moments.
While the film delivers on fan expectations, its narrative could have benefited from tighter pacing and deeper character development for its supporting cast. Some plot conveniences and an overreliance on nostalgia may limit broader audience appeal beyond the fanbase. Certain dramatic beats felt rushed, leaving little time for emotional resonance to fully land.
The ambition to blend high-octane action with heavy emotional stakes sometimes leads to tonal inconsistencies. At moments, the shift from gritty underworld drama to lighter fan moments feels abrupt. Additionally, though Ajith Kumar’s effort to showcase his dancing skills is commendable and welcomed by fans, it slightly disrupts the otherwise darker tone the film establishes.
“Good Bad Ugly” is a tribute to Ajith Kumar’s enduring legacy, offering vintage thrills while teasing new dimensions to his craft. It’s a solid entertainer that successfully taps into fan nostalgia while hinting at an exciting evolution for AK. While not without its flaws, the film’s heart, energy, and performances make it a must-watch for fans and a compelling action-drama for broader audiences.
In these uncertain times, you can’t beat a good old-fashioned horror movie. Unfortunately, Presence is not an old-fashioned horror movie. Yet, as I discovered, this is a good thing!
When I heard about the premise of this movie, I was intrigued. The stylishly subtle trailer was, appropriately, haunting. And was that Lucy Liu? A haunted house movie from the perspective of the ghost? As a seasoned horror movie buff, I was all in!
Like the majority of people I missed the films brief theatrical release. Luckily I was able to catch it on streaming. Visually the film is easy to enjoy from your own home, as it’s rather cosy looking. I never thought I’d be describing a horror movie as ‘cosy’ looking but it’s true! This is not a James Wan type creepy, dusty, decrepit house harbouring a haunting. No, this is a 100 year old jewel toned, oak finished colonial style home.
Despite this the story follows the beats we are all familiar with: troubled family of four move into a new house. The big deviation from the trope is we, the audience, are seeing events unfold from the POV of the ghost or presence.
Director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven) chose to film the entire piece using a small (14mm) hand-held digital camera. Soderbergh himself acted as the ‘presence’ following the actors around. From the audiences perspective it is like watching the family through a barrier or pane of glass. Cleverly, windows and mirrors are hugely prominent and integral throughout.
The presence mainly follows and tries to interact with the daughter of the family, Chloe (Callina Liang), who has recently suffered the trauma of her best friend dying suddenly. Through Soderbergh’s experimental filming, we feel the dysphoria and frustration the ‘ghost’ is feeling at trying to affect the world around it, particularly during the anxiety-inducing final scene!
However, in what could be yet another mismarketing of a film, the trailer promised to be the ‘scariest movie you will see this year’ and ‘terrifying’; instead, they delivered this subversive, character-driven, family drama. If you are expecting jump scares and dramatic music stings, this is not your movie. I could understand if someone was disappointed that the only seemingly scary thing is the mother’s and son’s relationship, right up until the gut-punch of the final scene.
Presence is definitely a slow burn, tension building until the final scene, and the unveiling of the ‘presence’ giving us a new understanding of the whole story. The ending is disturbing and stays with you as you re-analyse earlier scenes.
My one complaint is that the character Ryan (West Mulholland) with his Chesney Hawkes hair, perhaps needed more subtlety. The rest of the cast was completely solid and believable as a family with so many unspoken issues.
I wouldn’t recommend this film for everybody but maybe be as so bold to say it’s a horror movie for people that don’t like horror movies. It’s well-lit and cerebral with realistically flawed characters.
Presence is available to stream.
Three and a half stars.
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Historical
Runtime: Each episode runs approximately 20-30 minutes
Director: Lin Hun (also the Creator)
Studio: Samsara Animation Studio
Main Voice Actors (Chinese Cast):Liu Zhi Shi as Wen Ren Yu Xuan Zhou Qi as Shen Nong Fang Yuan as Xuan
Overview
Fog Hill of the Five Elements is a breathtaking Chinese anime (donghua) that merges traditional Chinese ink-painting aesthetics with high-intensity martial arts action. Created and directed by Lin Hun, this series delivers a spellbinding visual experience that rivals, and in many ways surpasses, mainstream Japanese anime. Produced by Samsara Animation Studio, the anime is a labor of love, known for its hand-drawn animation and meticulous detail.
Set in a mythological world where elemental beasts roam free, the series follows the Five Elemental Envoys tasked with protecting humanity. The story focuses on Wen Ren Yu Xuan, the Fire Envoy, whose actions set off a chain of events threatening the delicate balance between humans and beasts. The tale is steeped in Chinese folklore and myth, weaving a complex narrative of duty, power, and sacrifice.
Without question, Fog Hill of the Five Elements is one of the most visually stunning animated series in recent memory. The blend of traditional Chinese ink wash painting with modern dynamic action scenes is masterful. Every frame looks like a moving scroll painting, with fluid character movements and kinetic fight choreography that puts many mainstream series to shame.
The characters are deeply tied to traditional archetypes found in Chinese legends but are fleshed out with emotional depth and conflict. Voice acting by Liu Zhi Shi, Zhou Qi, and Fang Yuan brings authenticity and gravitas to their respective roles. The dialogue is steeped in poetic language, enhancing the mythic feel of the story.
The soundtrack complements the epic visuals with traditional Chinese instrumentation mixed with modern elements. The sound design heightens the impact of every battle and emotional moment.
Rating: 9/10
Fog Hill of the Five Elements earns a 9 out of 10 for its groundbreaking animation style, deep mythological storytelling, and heart-pounding action. The only downside is its limited number of episodes and slow release schedule, which leaves fans craving more.
Pros
- Unparalleled hand-drawn animation
- Unique art direction inspired by traditional Chinese painting
- Rich mythological lore
- Epic fight choreography
Cons
- Sparse episode release
- Story pacing can be uneven at times
Final Verdict 9/10
If you’re an anime enthusiast or a fan of animation artistry, Fog Hill of the Five Elements is a must-watch. Its fusion of stunning visuals, martial arts action, and mythological storytelling makes it one of the standout titles in modern animation. Whether you’re into Japanese anime or Chinese donghua, this series deserves a spot on your watchlist.
Review of “Good Bad Ugly”
Presence: A Horror Movie For People That Don’t Like Horror Movies
Anime Review: Fog Hill of the Five Elements (Wu Shan Wu Xing)
Dammu (2012) Movie Review: NTR Jr. Delivers a Thunderous Mass Action Performance
Devil May cry
